What movement tried to end racial discrimination?

Why This Matters

The civil rights movement was a powerful social and political movement that worked to end racial discrimination in the United States. It was most active during the 1950s and 1960s, although the fight for equality had been going on for much longer. The movement used peaceful protests, court cases, boycotts, and marches to challenge laws and customs that treated Black Americans and other minorities as second-class citizens.

Before the civil rights movement brought major changes, many states had laws called "Jim Crow" laws that required racial segregation. Black Americans were forced to use separate schools, restaurants, buses, and water fountains. They also faced barriers to voting, such as literacy tests and poll taxes designed to keep them from the ballot box. The civil rights movement directly challenged these unjust systems.

Key moments included the Montgomery Bus Boycott in 1955, the March on Washington in 1963 where Martin Luther King, Jr. gave his famous "I Have a Dream" speech, and the Selma to Montgomery marches in 1965. These efforts led to landmark laws like the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. These laws made it illegal to discriminate based on race in public places, employment, and voting. The civil rights movement is one of the most important chapters in American history because it moved the country closer to its founding ideal that all people are created equal.

Key Facts

• The civil rights movement aimed to end racial discrimination in the United States
• It was most active during the 1950s and 1960s
• Key leaders included Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, and John Lewis
• The Civil Rights Act of 1964 banned discrimination in public places and employment
• The Voting Rights Act of 1965 protected the right to vote for all citizens regardless of race

Common Mistakes

• Saying "the women's rights movement", while also important, this question specifically asks about the movement to end racial discrimination
• Confusing the civil rights movement with the abolition of slavery, slavery ended in 1865, nearly a century before the civil rights movement
• Forgetting the phrase "civil rights", the USCIS expects you to say "civil rights movement" specifically

Study Tip

Connect the words directly: "racial discrimination" is the problem, and "civil rights movement" is the answer. If the question asks what tried to end racial discrimination, say "the civil rights movement." Practice saying the full phrase clearly because the officer needs to hear those specific words.